Former African football president Issa Hayatou passed away on Thursday following a prolonged illness, just one day shy of his 78th birthday, according to reports from Cameroon television.
Hayatou, a Cameroonian national, served as the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for nearly three decades, holding the position from 1988 until his unexpected defeat in 2017.
He also briefly took on the role of acting FIFA president from 2015 to 2016 after Sepp Blatter was suspended by the global football governing body.
A lifelong sports administrator, Hayatou’s contributions extended beyond football. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 2001 until 2016, after which he was honored as an honorary member.
However, Hayatou’s career was not without controversy. In 2011, the IOC disciplined him for his involvement in an alleged bribery scandal linked to FIFA.
BBC Panorama reported that he received around $20,000 from the now-defunct sports marketing firm ISL in 1995. Hayatou, who was issued a reprimand, denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the money was a gift intended for his confederation.
During his tenure leading African football, the sport on the continent made significant advancements, though Hayatou often faced criticism for being authoritarian and slow to implement innovative changes.
In 2002, Hayatou challenged Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency but was soundly defeated as many African nations turned against him in favor of the Swiss candidate.